News

Nova Scotia Showcases Entrepreneurship and Commercialization

Sep 24/06

The Canadian Association of Business Incubation (CABI) is holding its 15th annual conference this week in Halifax, for the first time in the conference’s history. Happening September 24-26, the gathering will showcase some of the province’s most promising entrepreneurs and innovators.

“We have so many compelling stories to tell of innovation and entrepreneurship happening here in the province,” said Dan MacDonald, president and CEO of Innovacorp. “Plus we’re looking forward to the opportunity to share Innovacorp’s approach to technology commercialization – our High Performance Incubation (HPi)™ business model – with like-minded organizations from across the country and beyond.”

The conference will feature presentations from successful and well-known local entrepreneurs and innovators, including: Robert Orr, president and CEO of Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd., a world leader in the innovative use of marine bioactives; Michael Duck, founder and CEO of A.C. Dispensing Ltd., developers of portion-control dispensers being marketed to international clients such as McDonald’s and Tim Hortons; and Dr. Ivar Mendez, the internationally recognized surgeon, researcher, humanitarian and teacher behind a major innovation in neurological research and practice in Halifax.

The three-day event is being hosted by Innovacorp and the National Research Council Institute for Marine Biosciences. The more than 100 delegates will include business and economic development professionals from across Canada and beyond.

“CABI 2006 attendees have a wide range of backgrounds, but what we all share is a passion for fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialization with the goal of creating wealth in our communities,” said Marie Lussier, president of CABI and manager of the CRC Innovation Centre in Ottawa.

In addition to highlighting economic development and business incubation in Nova Scotia, the conference will feature information-rich sessions on topics such as making entrepreneurs investor ready, the current state of venture capital in Canada, measuring the success of economic development programs, and marketing products and services on a shoestring budget.

CABI is a member-based, non-profit organization run by volunteers from across the country. The organization is dedicated to advancing business incubation – and therefore entrepreneurship – in Canada. The association’s annual conference gives industry professionals the opportunity to meet and share ideas for business growth and economic development.

For more information about CABI, visit WWW.CABI.CA. To download the conference program, CLICK HERE. (Or CLICK HERE to view the pre-conference workshop details.)

Innovacorp helps early stage Nova Scotia companies commercialize their technologies and succeed in the global marketplace. The organization’s High Performance Incubation (HPi)™ business model is recognized locally and internationally as a "best practice" technology commercialization approach. The model comprises three interwoven resources - incubation infrastructure, business mentoring and seed/venture capital investment - to help entrepreneurs overcome traditional hurdles to business growth.